


Cured

by FraiseDandelion



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Dr. Regina Mills, F/M, Therapist AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-18 12:23:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13681611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FraiseDandelion/pseuds/FraiseDandelion
Summary: Robin Locksley would do anything to see his child laugh brightly again, as would Regina Mills, the five year old's psychologist. Together, they discover ways to help the five year old, while developing a friendship and maybe even... more?





	Cured

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Chelseadaggz](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chelseadaggz/gifts).



> @ChelseaDaggz. Chelsea, I died when I realized you were my giftee. Eek. Dead. I’ve been fangirling over your writing for years and Gosh, I stressed out constantly over this because omg, I adore your writing and ahh. Anyways, I truly truly hope you enjoy this. You asked for something ‘real’, AUish, & domestic and I hope I was able to do just that.
> 
> A big shoutout to audreysl0ve for organizing this. Eva, Zoe, Bea, and Brittany cuz y’all were the ones I turned to when I was having a meltdown and in your own peculiar way convinced me to like my own story. Also yo, Eva helped me so much with crafting this story and I truly truly truly love you dude, thank you always, you truly are the best ‘outlining’ buddy, like, this lady will yell at you what works what doesn’t and come up with more incredible things, so, thank you ma’ girl. Enjoy y'all.

* * *

Out of all the ways Robin Locksley thought he’d wake to on an early Saturday morning, never once did it cross his mind that it’d be like this, a gloriously naked Regina Mills sleeping peacefully to his right, a slight smile adorning her features.

He lets out a soft sigh, gently turning over to face her, careful of making any sudden movement that would awake her from her rest.

He doesn’t truly know how this came to be, doesn’t entirely understand the thoughts and feelings she’s elicited in him during the past five months, yet here they are, and though he feels anxious for what this might bring into their lives, he also feels that very same warmth he’s felt only once before.

This could be love.

Yet when Regina lets out a soft sigh and cuddles further into the pillow, still deep asleep, Robin feels his stomach do flutters and yes, maybe, maybe, it already is.

Feeling the corner of his mouth slightly curve upwards, Robin gently pulls the covers up to cover her shoulders and slowly props himself up onto his elbow, allowing himself a few minutes of this, of just admiring her.

The soft gentle breaths. 

The entirely cute scrunch of her nose when a strand of her hair slowly falls against her cheek, tickling her nose in the process. 

Robin chuckles softly at the sight, wanting nothing more than to push that strand of hair away, but he thinks against it, not wanting to rouse her when they still have about four hours until Roland arrives.

Roland

The mere thought of his five year old makes him smile, an utter sense of gratefulness filling him to the brim as he carefully and strategically places his hand on her waist, smirking when she curls up closer to him, head resting against his bent shoulder, legs pressed to his, searching his warmth. With a sigh, Robin stretches his arm and rests his head against his forearm, face inches away from her.

He’s grateful, entirely too grateful.

 

* * *

 

He’s bloody tired, arms and legs aching as he’s being lead by an entirely too energetic Roland into the park. He clings to his double shot espresso like it’s his life line, sips from it at the same time his son drags him across the field.

It’s refreshing to see him like this, lively and happy and behaving exactly as a five year old should, so even though his arms ache, his legs tremble, and he feels the exhaustion clinging to every bone in his body, he forces himself to be present, to push the exhaustion to the back of his head and enjoy at least a few moments of normalcy between father and son and whoever it is they’re meeting here.

Jiminy, Roland had said excitedly albeit sleepily when he got home late last night. And after kissing his sleeping son, and tucking him in better, he’d grinned and said he had a play date with Jiminy tomorrow.

Which is why he’s here, right now, telling him to slow down as he runs and runs and drags him across the green field.

“Hurry up Papa!” He keeps saying, giggling as he continues running. “I don’t want to be late!” The little boy lets out and Robin feels himself smile at the slight happiness he sees so clearly in his boy.

“Roland we’re on time. You said eleven, it’s only ten forty five.”

“I don’t care, Papa. I don’t want to be late,” he huffs exasperated as he stops for a second, head turning right and left. “This is a good spot,” he says simply before he’s sitting down on the floor and grinning up at him. “Come, seat,” he pats the spot next to him excitedly. “I told her I’d be right in the middle of the park!”

Robin frowns at that, before he’s crossing his arms in front of his chest and eyeing him curiously.

“Her?” He says simply, feeling his chest burst with utter adoration at his dimpled grin.

“Her, Papa. She’s a friend.”

“Oh? Jiminy?”

But Roland giggles at that, laughs and laughs and laughs and Robin cannot help himself but laugh along, even though he has no idea what’s so funny. But this is Roland now, brighter, happier, healthier, and as his son laughs and giggles, Robin laughs for an entirely different reason, feels a slight moisture gathering around his eyes before he’s blinking them away and sitting down, helping Roland stay up as he fights his bout of giggles.

“What’s so funny Roland?” He asks, amused at his son’s state but the simple question has the boy giggling once again like crazy and Robin shakes his head, sends a Thank You to the heavens that he can hear those chuckles a little bit more again, and chuckles along with his son. “I love you, Roland,” he says after a moment, and Roland grins at him before he’s throwing himself at him and wrapping his arms around his neck.

“Love you too Papa,” the boy says.

Robin merely sighs against his curls, drops a kiss to the side of his head and pulls him in tighter against him until the boy is buzzing with excitement, shuffling out of his hold immediately as he sprints to his right, immediately Robin stands up, is about to yell after Roland until he sees him stopping in front of a hundredth pound walking carpet and a way too small woman holding him back by a leash.

Well, not a carpet per se, but a dog, an almost giant dog that immediately recognizes his son and begins licking the side of his face, slobber falling down his face and Robin groans in disgust, keeps walking the seven steps that separates them and places a hand on Roland’s shoulder.

“Roland, never run away from me like that. Understood?”

“Yes Papa. Sorry,” he says, but he’s not focused on him, instead he’s giggling as he quickly pets the dog.

“I’m sorry,” he says to the woman holding the dog’s leash, a woman far too tiny for that kind of dog. But the woman just looks at him curiously and confused, and it’s not until Roland says ‘ _I’ve missed you, Jiminy_ ,’ to the mini-bear in front of him that Robin understands.

“My son,” he says quickly before rolling his eyes. “Told me he was meeting his friend here. Didn’t realize he was referring to a dog.”

The woman simply shakes her head and offers him a small smile. “No worries,” she begins dismissing him entirely as she turns to Roland, a kind smile on her face. “Hi Roland,” she says simply, smiling brightly when the boy turns to her and offers her a full blown dimpled smile.

And that’s odd, Robin thinks. He’s never seen this woman before in his life, and Roland never takes kind to strangers, yet the familiarity between the two, the easy way with which Roland looks up at her and grins leaves him entirely confused.

“I’m sorry, I?” Robin shakes his head and looks between Roland and Regina, giving her a questioning look as he asks, “Do I know you?”

Regina chuckles and nods. “Well not officially. But I’m sure you’ve heard of me,” she shrugs, before she’s crouching in front of Roland and handing him a few of the treats she brought for Jiminy. “Roland, here, I need your help. You see, Jiminy has been refusing to eat anything I give him, so maybe you could try?”

And that’s odd, Robin thinks for the umpteenth time that day. The dog had followed her hand movements, the dog had bumped his nose against her hand as she handed Roland the treats.

Yet when Roland excitedly agrees to help her, he doesn’t have it in his heart to call out her ruse.

“Good. Thank you, Roland,” she says, smiling as she stands up straighter and turns to face him. “I would like to have a few words with you,” the brunette says, offering him a gentle smile.

Dumbstruck, Robin simply nods as he turns to Roland and frowns. “Just how do you know my son?”

“Mr. Locksley, my name is Regina Mills. I’m your kid’s psychologist,” she offers, smiling gently.

Embarrassedly, Robin nods and swallows hard.

Of course, he knows three weeks ago his son started seeing a new therapist after Dr. Hopper had mentioned it once, in one of Roland’s appointments.

“Ah, well, that certainly makes sense,” he shakes his head before nodding at her. “Well, I’m Robin Locksley, and I’m Roland’s father.”

At that moment, Roland calls out from where he’s kneeling on the floor. “Can I please play fetch with him?” The five year old asks with the biggest puppy dog eyes he can manage.

“As long as that’s okay with Dr. Mills.”

“Sure! I’m sure he’s bursting with excitement!” She answers, as she slips her hand into her purse and pulls out a ball.

“Just don’t run too far?” Robin asks, smirking when his kid giggles and nods and takes off Jiminy’s leash as they both run a few yards in front of them, the boy immediately throwing the bright pink ball and laughing excitedly as the dog hurries after it. Finding himself comforted by the scene, he sighs and turns to face the brunette, a small grimace on his face. “Pardon me for saying this but, I had no idea Roland’s therapist was a woman.”

“Well I wasn’t. Dr. Hopper, which I’m sure you’re more familiar with, referred him to me. You gave the green light.”

“Well, of course I know that. He mentioned only good things about you. It just took me by surprise, that’s all. Everything makes sense now though,” he chuckles, shakes his head as he glances at his giggling little boy again. “He never stops talking about a Regina. I assumed it was a friend he made.”

“Oh, we are friends,” Regina says smiling as she too glances at the little boy. “He’s a wonderful little boy.”

“He is,” Robin replies with a nod, and a smile on his face.

For moments they stay like that, just watching the five year old play and run and giggle without a care in the world. Before Regina clears her throat.

“Mr. Locksley, I scheduled this play date with the hopes of getting to speak with you about him.”

“Yeah, I figured,” he crosses his arms in front of his chest, but doesn’t take his gaze off of Roland.

“Okay,” the woman nods, dropping her bag and Jiminy’s leash on the grass before turning to him again. “Your son has been a patient of mine for almost four weeks now and I’ve, sadly, haven’t had the chance to discuss his progress with his father. Don’t get me wrong, I understand the demands of a work these days and I’m extremely sure that whatever I have shared with his grandparents have been passed along to you, of that I have no doubt. However, I’m aware that his grandparents aren’t there at his step by step of the days,” she swallows hard and slips her hands into the front pocket of her jeans. “And I would like to know more detailed things about his life. I received his full file from Dr. Hopper and his grandparents have mentioned a few details in the four times I’ve seen them. Yet I believe that the information they give me is not entirely detailed, they might even gloss over a few detrimental moments.”

“I know. I know,” he says as he shakes his head and turns to face her. “My apologies. I’ve been extremely busy these past few weeks and have been getting home late. His grandparents have been taking him to his appointments for the past few weeks but that’s because they flew over from England to visit and see Roland, they already left—”

“Mr. Locksley,” she interrupts him with a kind smile and a roll of her eyes. “I’m not commenting on your parenting skills. Roland has only spoken amazing things. You’re his whole world. I just would like to speak to you, in my office, learn more about this amazing little boy.”

He swallows hard and nods, turning to look at his son again.

“I’m well aware. I’ll be taking him to his next appointment. But I can go at any day of the week.”

Regina smiles at him and then turns to look at Roland. “Good,” she lets out softly, before she’s sitting down on the grass and not saying another word.

When it’s time to part ways, Regina merely nods at Robin offering him a small smile and then a bright smile to Roland, promising to see him again on Thursday.

Well, today has been definitely odd. 

.::.

Robin doesn’t really understand why he’s feeling anxious as he walks down the hall to Dr. Mills’ office, shaking his head at himself as he reaches the glass door and knocks against it.

“Come in.” He hears being uttered from the other side of the door and he opens it, steps into the office.

The brunette doesn’t take the eyes away from the paperwork, continues writing and scribbling something down.

“Mr. Locksley,” she utters, glancing at him quickly over the top of her eyeglasses, before she looks down to the papers on her desk. “I’ll be with you in a minute. Please take a seat.”

Robin nods, before he’s sitting down on the chair in front of her and just, looks at his hands, twiddling fingers, waiting for her to finish whatever she’s writing. He doesn’t even know why he’s so anxious. For months before this he’s known of Roland’s growth, his social skills development as he, more than three times, had appointments pertaining this matter with Dr. Hopper. Yet, he can’t help but feel a slight part of him growing restless. 

Sighing, Robin sits straighter on the chair and glances now at Dr. Mills in front of him.

She looks exceptionally different from last Saturday afternoon. Gone is the t-shirt, curly hair held up by a Coke hat, and makeup less face, instead, she sits in front of him, frown set in place, makeup carefully crafted, eyeglasses set in place and a dark blue buttoned up shirt.

“One more second,” she says after a moment, and Robin nods in reply before letting out a soft ‘ _It’s okay’_ and focusing instead on the small cozy room that’s her office. To his right, on the far end of the room there’s a gray couch with two arm chairs on either side facing one another, a small coffee table in the middle over a plush white carpet. Next to that slight grey wall, there’s a small wooden table, two chairs facing one another and for a minute Robin imagines his son there, writing down something on a blank paper before sheepishly showing it to Dr. Mills, asking if he did good. Yet the image bring forth that familiar pain he’s always associated with this situation.

“There, all done,” the woman mentions and Robin turns to face her, clears his throat and offers her a small smile.

“Sorry for that,” she begins, “I had to write down a few scribbles before I forgot.”

“Don’t worry about it,” because really, it’s no bother, he’s here to listen to her, to discuss his son, plus Roland’s with his uncle John, he doesn’t need to rush home right now.

“Robin, right?” Dr. Mills asks with a small smile as she slides the eyeglasses to the crown of her head and stands up from her desk chair. She turns at his nod, heading for the file cabinet. “Don’t tell anybody,” she begins as she pulls out a file and then turns to face him again before continuing, “but your son might be my favorite.”

He smiles at the comment, and nods her way. “Aye, Roland’s quite a little charmer,” Robin replies, sitting up straighter before he clears his throat. “When he’s, you know, on a good day.”

“Understandable. I do believe, however, that his ‘bad days’ are less frequent now?” Regina asks as she sits down on her desk chair again and opens his file.

“Yeah. Definitely. And they’re not as bad as before.”

“That’s wonderful,” she lets out to which Robin could only nod.

For a couple of moments everything goes quiet between them, Regina quickly reads a few notes scribbled over the file from his previous psychiatrist, before she’s closing it and nodding.

“Mr. Locksley, I’m aware you’ve answered several questions before when Roland was under Dr. Hopper’s care, yet I would like to go over them again if that’s alright with you?”

“It’s alright.”

“Okay. It has come to my knowledge that Roland’s mother passed away early last year. Is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. And during that time, was there anything different about Roland. Perhaps he’d suffer from sudden changes in behavior, or constantly being sick?”

“No. Nothing of that matter. Roland behaved as any normal 4 year old would. He used to be vibrant with energy and excitement and wonder.”

Dr. Mills offer him a smile at that. “I’m getting to know that little boy and I can assure you, Mr. Locksley, that that excitement, wonder and energy is still there.”

“I know. It’s just, her death has been so difficult on my boy and I just wish there was a simpler method for this. No offense.”

“None taken. Trust me, if I knew of said method I’d have used it with him already. But for now we have to do what is best for him, what is comfortable, and what will ultimately help him and you move past this.”

“Thank you,” Robin nods. “He has been making incredible progress in the past few weeks though.”

“Yes? Tell me Mr. Locksley—“

“Robin. You can call me Robin. 

The doctor smiles gently at him and nods. “Robin, tell me, how is he behaving in school and at home now? His grandparents mentioned something during our very first appointment with me that he’d wet the bed sometimes at night?”

“Yes.”

“Well at his age that’s not entirely unusual, however the problem lays in the fact that he didn’t have to use nappies before Marian died did he?”

“Yes. Two months before Marian died Roland was able to sleep through the night without wetting the bed.”

“Okay. This is completely natural after this. Roland has gone through a tremendous amount of stress. Change is always scary for anybody, imagine a four year old?”

He sighs and nods. “Definitely. Marian adored him, and he her. They were inseparable. She always knew what he needed, exactly _when_ he needed it and I’m afraid that’s something I can never give to him.”

Offering a small but understanding smile, Dr. Mills sits up straighter. “Robin. I truly truly understand where you’re coming from, but these negative thoughts, this conviction that you seem to have that you’re not good enough for your son, it’s actually going to make matters worse. Children need to feel protected, they need to feel supported in every way. I know you’re a truly wonderful father, Roland constantly speaks greatly of you, but kids pick up on our humor and base responses off of them.”

“Logically I know this. It’s just.”

“Change is scary,” she replies as she nods at him. “Especially when there are kids involved.”

He’s about to reply to her, let her know what he thinks but he’s interrupted by a knock on the door, and her receptionist poking her head in an almost comical manner.

“Regina?”

“Yes?”

“Your four o’clock is here.”

“Oh?” Regina answers, before she’s looking at the clock on her desk. “Time surely flies on Fridays,” she mutters then nods at Anna. “I’ll be with them in a second,” the brunette says as she takes Roland’s file again and opens it. “I still have different things I want to discuss with you.”

“I’ll bring him for his next appointments next week.”

“Okay. We’ll discuss this then. Have a great afternoon. Tell Roland I send my regards.”

“I will. Thanks.”

With a small smile and a nod, he turns and walks away.

.::.

The next appointment has him stressfully waiting in the waiting room.

For some reason, unbeknownst to him, Roland has spent two days mad, blue, replying in short sentences and shrugs and sad sighs leaving his much too little body on more than one occasion. Logically, he knows it’s still not the same as how he was a few months ago, when he wouldn’t even crack a smile, but still, it scares him.

So he awaits for Dr. Mills to call him in.

Awaits for good news.

Awaits for her to tell him to not worry too much over it.

And in fact, that’s exactly what she does.

Lets him know it’s not his fault he’s reacting this way. Tells him it all happened because of a movie he watched, where a kid lost his mother and it reminded him of his own.

And though it breaks his heart a little bit, to know that his kid still suffers the death of his mother as if it happened yesterday, instead of more than one year ago, he feels slightly relieved that day when he brings him home and the boy tells him so himself.

Because if he talks to him, it means he trusts him, and if he’s open with him, then Robin doesn’t feel entirely useless.

.::.

“He was there, when his mother died. He was there, on the backseat,” he whispers two days later to Dr. Mills, answering the questions she wasn’t able to ask less than a week ago.

“He watched her die?”

But Robin can only nod quietly in reply, swallowing hard. To this day he doesn’t know the full extent of Roland’s witness, or how far he saw. All he knows are the meek details that the police had informed him when he received the call.

Gods, he remembers it vividly. Just sitting in his office, not thinking twice about the strange number as he answered and his whole world was changed.

He should’ve felt his son was in distress.

Should’ve felt the mother of his son dying.

Yet, he’d felt nothing, not the slightest anxiousness that many people feel just before something big happens. And to this day he still punishes himself over that.

“I see. I’m so sorry for your loss,” Dr. Mills replies, her own eyes slightly wet.

“Marian and I weren’t together. We broke up when Roland was three months old,” he says, he has no idea why, but he finds himself sharing that.

But he guesses that’s her job, right? To get people to open up to her, express their thoughts their feelings and find a somewhat solution into dealing with them.

“Still,” the brunette says from across her desk as she slides her eyeglasses off, “she was the mother of your child. At one point or another, it must’ve hurt.”

“It did,” he confirms, before he swallows hard and meets her gaze again. “But it hurt, _hurts_ , even more to see my kid like that.”

She cracks a empathic smile at that, nodding at him. “Mr. Locksley, your kid is already getting better, I’ll make sure he’s your bright little kid again.”

And Robin feels nothing more than true appreciation for this woman.

“Thank you.”

.::.

 _She has got to have the greatest laugh_ , Robin thinks not even two weeks later as he’s telling her a tale of how Roland professed his love to a zookeeper three days ago. But then again, the woman had let him touch and hold a baby koala, so Roland was more than overwhelmed at that point.

But still.

It was a funny story, and Regina… eh, Dr. Mills is chuckling from behind her desk and shaking her head.

“He’s simply the sweetest,” she says, laughing as she shakes her head and scribbles down something in some papers. “That’s actually very, very good, to see he’s interacting with other people.”

Robin nods in reply, smirking as he remembers his boy softly talking to a boy two years older than him about the chimpanzee on the other side of the glass.

“It’s wonderful. Marian always said he had my social skills, but for the past year and a half, I hadn’t been able to see that. Yet, it’s back, in full force,” he finishes with a chuckle, meeting her gaze.

 _She has got to have the greatest smile_ , Robin thinks but then quickly sits up straighter in the chair and clears his throat, pushing it to the back of his head.

“You mentioned last week that I should create sort of like a weekly tradition with him and to make sure to include things about his mother in it,” he mentions, frowning slightly.

“Have you?” Regina asks, growing serious again as she awaits her response.

“We visited Marian’s parents after going to the zoo, and I found an old album she kept from the day we found out that she was pregnant to a week before she died, when Roland had ridden his first bike.”

“How come you only found this now?” Regina asks, truly curious to know his answer as she scribbles something on blank paper that she slips into Roland’s file.

Robin sighs at that and shrugs. “I started making my own album after he turned one, from my POV, from my weeks with him. Guess with all things happening, I simply forgot. 

Dr. Mills nods in reply and gives him an understanding smile. It’s an honest mistake, after all. So instead she clasps her hands together atop the desk and smiles kindly at him. “Has Roland seen the album?”

“He has,” he mentions, smirking at her. “And he loves it.”

“That’s, actually, more than great,” Dr. Mills says nodding and biting back a smile.

“Yes,” he replies, smiling brightly at her.

There hadn’t been any setbacks in the past three weeks, thankfully, and he finally feels that hope surging inside of him again.

.::.

“When Henry had been eight, I suggested he’d be incorporated into a sport of some sort. Of course, I was the step mom, so I didn’t really have any voice on that matter. But the boy soon joined a basketball team and it works well when they’re dealing with loss and stress. It helps them remember they’re kids again, they get to have fun.”

That’s the first time he learns something from her past three appointments later, and judging by the bite on her lower lip, he’s sure it simply slipped her after suggesting he’d get Roland into sports.

Yet he finds the utter need to know a little bit more about her. But it’s normal, right? For more than two months he’s brought Roland here twice a week, had stayed after every appointment to discuss possible options and Roland’s condition along with a few personal confessions by Robin’s part. So it’s only fair, right? That he pays her back by lending an ear.

Gods, what is he talking about? He’s not a psychologist, like her, he can’t offer different approaches to a situation, can’t truly listen to someone go on and on about their day. But still.

“Henry?” He asks, interested in the topic, in knowing more, even though internally he groans at himself.

It takes her a minute to understand what he’s saying, still too shocked at her slip, still too shocked he’d want to know more. But he sees it in her eyes, the moment she goes from cautious and suspicious to relaxing and finally trusting.

“He used to be my step son,” she replies, nodding at him. “Met his,” she looks at him slightly untrusting, before shaking her head and smiling at him, “ _mother_ , when Henry was seven, but we separated when he turned ten.”

Robin doesn’t even blink at that, just shrugs and rolls his eyes at her. “And where’s Henry now?” Is what he asks instead.

She chuckles at his question, relief written all over her face. It’s obvious she’d been expecting something else, so shocked and smiling in awe at him, she answers. “Henry lives in Seattle now with his mother. 

“Oh.”

“Yeah,” she shrugs, smiling sadly. “We still talk though. He’s fifteen now,” she says with a smile.

“And Henry’s dad?”

“I’ve no idea. He left Emma before Henry was born and, to this day, hasn’t made any attempts to contact him,” she huffs and rolls her eyes, hiding her anger.

But Robin chuckles at that, offering her a nod before he quirkily looks at her, thinking back on her suggestion. “So, joining sports. It seems like a good idea. He’s always felt drawn to baseball.”

“Good,” she nods.

.::.

Two months later he’s grinning as he stares at her, feels almost as giddy as Roland as he sits in front of her desk. Roland’s with Ella, her receptionist, just waiting for their short conversation post-appointment to take place.

But there’s really nothing to talk about now. Not when Roland’s latest happening was falling and scratching his chin after a Sunday spent in the park. The lad hadn’t even cried, had simply looked at his father, let out a soft ‘Ouch’ before he giggled and ran to the monkey bars.

But Dr. Mills simply reads through Roland’s file and doesn’t really pays him any attention, yet, just smiles as she regroups Roland’s file and closes it.

“Roland has a game this Saturday,” Robin says grinning.

“Oh my Gosh!” Regina lets out excitedly. “Already?”

“Yeah, what can I say. My son is bloody brilliant,” he lets out, like the proud parent he is and Regina chuckles in reply before she’s shaking her head.

“He asked me to make sure you said yes to seeing him play.”

“What?” She asks, smiling at him in awe.

“Yup, right before coming here. He made me pinky swear and all,” he says, giving her a serious look before he grins.

“Gods, that boy will be the death of many out there. He’s just a cutie pie.”

“So,” he clears his throat, “what do you say?”

“Well,” Regina starts with a serious look, before she’s grinning at him. “I can’t make you break a pinky promise now, can I?”

“Excellent,” he lets out, entirely too excited and Regina gives him a curious smile, frowning slightly before he’s shaking his head and clearing his throat. “It starts at ten am, I’ll send you the address?”

“Perfect.”

.::.

Regina’s entirely too excited for meeting them today. She doesn’t truly know why. But she is.

Feels excitement bubbling in her belly as she walks down the dirt path, smirking when she sees Robin just staring at his phone, scrolling, biting his lips and for some weird reason, Regina finds the picture oddly comforting.

“Hey Locksley,” she calls out to the father, ignoring the slight warmth that settles over her belly as his features change from wonder to absolute giddiness when his gaze met hers.

“Regina! I’m so glad you could make it,” he says, slipping his phone into his back pocket without a second thought as he walked the ten steps to her side, meeting each other halfway. “Roland is going to be very happy to see you.”

“Yes, well, I simply couldn’t miss this,” she replies, only to smile when he places one hand on her back, respectfully, and leads them to the bleachers.

There are a few parents on the bleachers, engaging in small talk or just looking ahead at the field. They find a spot on the second bleacher, and she offers him a thankful smile as he stretches his arm to allow her to get in first. Once seated, they look on to the field, and Regina can’t help herself, chuckles as she instantly finds Roland, wearing a cap, his mop of curls visible from where they sit.

“He looks so cute,” she mentions, smiling brightly when the little boy turns to look at the bleachers, gaze moving over it before it lands on her.

“Miss Gina you came!” He lets out from about six yards in front of them and Regina guffaws loudly and gives him a thumbs up.

“He definitely adores you,” Robin says softly from her right.

And Regina already finds her cheeks hurting from smiling too much. “The sentiment is most definitely returned,” the brunette says as she turns to face him. “I adore him,” she mentions, smiling embarrassedly at him.

“I can’t really blame you,” he says with a chuckle. “That kid is pretty amazing.”

They settle into a short comfortable silence, both turning to face the field. There are all the kids running into it, Roland positioning himself at the first base and waving excitedly at her. For a few moments they stay that way, smiling and cheering and chuckling when one boy runs to first base while carrying the bat and Roland yells at him to throw it away.

“Hot dog, chili fries, or both?” Robin asks out of nowhere, and Regina turns to face him, frowning slightly.

“What?”

“What would you like?”

“Oh, no, nothing, no worries.”

He merely grins at her and nods. “Chili fries it is then,” he says, before standing up and heading to get the snacks.

Regina shakes her head laughing and focuses straight ahead instead, an odd but nice warmth settling on her belly as she bites her lower lip and schools her features into something less… smitten.

Smitten

Is she actually smitten with him?

But how can she not be when he’s… good looking, a wonderful father, not judging, understanding. Gods, she’s absolutely smitten with him and that fact, though slightly scary, manages to make her even more… happy.

When he returns, fries and hot dogs and water and some nachos even, Regina cannot help herself but smirk at him.

“You feeding the whole team with that?” She asks playfully.

“Looks like it, right?” He replies chuckling before he’s sitting down again and handing her the chili fries and a hot dog.

“Thank you,” she says before she’s biting down on the hotdog, letting out a content sigh.

He looks at her curiously then, amused by her antics.

She wipes her mouth with a napkin before shaking her head and swallowing hard. “It’s been quite some time since I’ve had one of these.”

He chuckles, still munching on his food and nodding before he’s growing serious as he looks over to the game happening in front of them.

“I never properly thanked you for what you’re doing with Roland.”

“I’m sure you’ve thanked me more than enough, and besides, Robin, you don’t have to thank me for doing my job.”

“I know. But still, I’ll never get tired of thanking you.”

She nods in kind, the slight flutters in her stomach not as unwelcome as she thought they’d be, and continues eating. It continues that way, exchanging comments about Roland, about the game, both cheering on the little lad when he manages to hit the ball on his third attempt, running as fast as his little legs can carry him into first base.

As little leagues goes, Roland’s team didn’t in fact win the match, but Roland remained all smiles and buzzing with excitement as he shakes every hand and then proceeds to run off of the field, taking off his hat in the process.

Taking that as cue, Robin and Regina grin as they walk down the steps and towards where the little boy exits the field.

“Miss Regina!” He calls out, all laughter and excitement as he launches himself at her, wraps his arms around her waist to greet her.

“Ooof,” she lets out the moment his head comes in contact with her stomach but she shakes her head at Robin’s ‘ _Careful, Roland_ ’ and tries to hug him back with as much force as he’s doing.

“Did you see? Did you see? I hit the ball,” the boy says after taking a step back, bouncing on his feet, bright smile on his face.

“I did see! You were brilliant!” Regina says with a smile.

But Roland frowns at that and lets out a sad sigh. “Yes but we didn’t win. I wanted to surprise you ‘cause I knew you’d come.”

At that Regina simply smiles and shakes her head. “Did you have fun?” She asks as she crouches in front of him and pushes a strand of hair behind his ear.

“Yes,” he replies, looking at her confusedly.

“Did you hit the ball more than once?” 

“Yes,” he replies with a small giggle.

“Did you run and laugh and cheered for your team?”

“Yeah.”

“Then Roland that is the best surprise ever,” she says grinning before arching her eyebrow at him, “even better than winning.”

“But why?” The boy asks, frowning slightly.

“Well,” she shrugs before smiling brightly at him. “Because you created memories. Incredible memories, or are you going to forget that you outran the ball when you scored?”

He lets out an excited laugh. “I did! You saw! Daddy did you see?” The boy asks, breaking Regina’s gaze to meet his father’s, once again excited and buzzing with energy.

“I did see, buddy!” Robin lets out, equally excited. “Can I get a hug or are those now for Miss Regina only?” He asks grinning.

Regina grins and shakes her head as she straightens up and turns to face him. For some reason, an idiotic reason, she feels her smile growing brighter in reply to his, tries and fails to contain that giddiness she feels within. Smitten.

“I can hug you too. I just like hugging Regina more,” the five year old says matter of factly.

Robin guffaws at that, gives Roland an amused smile, pride and true happiness radiating off of him and Regina bites her lower lip, presses her hand to her stomach because she feels a slight ‘something’ there. Smitten.

“Come here,” Robin says gently to his son, and the boy goes willingly, letting out small laughs as he jumps into his father’s arms and wraps his legs around him when he picks him up. “I am so so so proud of you,” Robin whispers, dropping kiss after kiss after kiss to his son’s cheeks. The boy grins, presses dirt coated hands to his father’s cheeks squishing them playfully.

Regina watches the pair in awe, that same warmth growing in her stomach when she thinks just how different this Roland is from the Roland she first met five months ago. A Roland that would share only what was needed. A Roland that would shrug at whatever she suggested. A Roland that had a hard time opening up. A Roland that slowly began trusting her, slowly began laughing at her antics, at her comments, a Roland that slowly but surely got better and better with time.

And now, seeing him giggle and laugh loudly as his father tickles his neck slightly with his scruffy chin, Regina feels satisfied, a sense of completion settling on her belly.

She swallows hard, suddenly feeling quite emotional over the realization that her time with him is quite definitely coming to an end. Because her job has ended, Roland is a happy bright boy. Robin and Roland have managed to mourn their Marian correctly. Roland has become content with their routine, their small bi-weekly routine of putting flowers on her grave, of talking to her, letting Roland miss her and talk to her about what has happened in the past weeks. So yes, her job is basically done.

But still, though she feels insanely happy, proud, and simply excited for the Locksley’s boys, there’s a slight pan of pain in there, hidden, but still ever present. Because even though she’s denied it to herself, they have become quite a nice addition to her week, and she’s become accustomed to them.

To Roland’s funny faces 

To Roland’s drawings for her.

To Roland’s excited explanation on how trees give air.

To begging her into letting him cuddle Jiminy, when Dr. Hopper lets him visit, and pretend their ‘meeting’ isn’t over yet just so he can hug the 120 pound dog.

Gods, she’ll miss him weekly.

“How about we go celebrate?” Robin asks his five year old, bringing Regina from her reverie.

He meets her gaze, a slight gentle smile on his face as he asks. “Would you like to join us?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t want to imp—”

“Pleaseeeeeee,” Roland says, pouting at her and Regina chuckles and swallows hard before nodding. Letting out a hop of excitement, Roland slides off his father’s, and walks to her side, taking a hold of her hand.

“Come with us, I’ll drive you back here to get your car after we’re done,” Robin offers.

It takes her a moment, but she nods in gratefulness, and quietly, yet smiling, walks alongside Robin, an excited Roland skipping steps as the three of them head to Robin’s car.

Turns out their celebration consists of a meal at Roland’s favorite place, Denny’s, his laughter and excitement contagious all throughout the meal as they exchange tales and jokes and all in all have a great time. Which, really, confirms what Regina’s known since earlier today.

When he drives her back to the field, an hour later, Roland’s lightly snoring in the backseat, to which Robin chuckles as he puts the car in park and turns to face her.

“I had fun today and so did he. Thank you for coming.”

“I had fun too. Thanks for inviting me.”

“Anytime.”

Smiling sadly, Regina hands goes to the door handle, is about to open her door when Robin’s talking suddenly.

“I’ve been meaning to ask you something. A favor of sorts, as a friend rather than his psychologist.”

“I’m all ears,” she nods at him.

“I’m thinking about adopting a dog for him.”

Regina smiles in awe at that. “That’s wonderful, Robin.”

“Yeah. I really think it’d do him good.”

“Definitely.”

He looks anxious then, tapping his thumb against the steering wheel before he asks her. “Would you go with me to the shelter? There are just so many to choose from and they’re all equally adorable, it’s nearly impossible.”

She chuckles quietly in response, before nodding her head at him. “Just say the day, and I’ll be there.”

“Good. Good. Thank you.”

“So today went well, didn’t it?” He asks after a second, not wanting to watch her get out of his car and into her SUV.

“It went better than okay, Robin. In fact,” she shakes her head, swallowing hard before smiling at him and continuing, “I believe we can now push Roland’s appointments to one per month.”

“Really?” He asks, eyes full of wonder and happiness and Regina chuckles at that, feels the oddly familiar burning of the tears, happy tears, for this wonderful dad.

“Really,” she confirms, nodding. And Robin lets out a soft laugh, immediately grabbing her hand from the center console and squeezing it lightly.

“Thank you,” he mutters with a sincerity that goes straight through her and she can almost roll her eyes at the return of those flutters low on her belly, but instead she smiles a kind smile.

 .::.

He’s quite sure that this is a bad idea, yet the giddiness of his son combined with the excitement in his belly overthrew his decision of not doing this.

Instead, here he is, bouquet of very _very_ colorful roses in one hand and a box of truffles in another, walking down the sidewalk with a very bubbly five year old, going on and on about how excited he is to see her on a Sunday evening instead of a weekday, or how he’s happy that she made him happy and doesn’t feel as sad or as mad anymore. Robin cannot help himself but swallow hard (nerves?) as he and Roland walk past her open gate and to the porch. He knocks on the door softly, loud barks coming from the other side almost instantly.

“That sounds like Jiminy,” says Roland from his side, smiling excitedly at him.

And precisely at that moment a male voice can be heard from the other side of the door and Robin swallows hard.

Of course they shouldn’t have come here without being invited in the first place.

But he cannot relay on his disappointment for too long, for the front door is opening, a very excited Jiminy coming out to greet Roland with licks and whines and wiggly tail.

“Oh Roland! Robin! What a nice surprise!” The redheaded male says way too chirpy for his liking.

But there’s no need to feel jealous. Not when he’s basically the reason his son has Regina. Not when at first he was the one to work with Roland.

Yet he feels that… anger low on his belly. That slight boil of his blood and has the temperature gotten any higher in the past few seconds?

“Hi Archie,” whispers his son sheepishly before turning to smile at the dog and rub her belly.

“Are you looking for Regina?” Dr. Hopper asks with a small smile, opening the door wide open and for a moment, for a crazy moment filled with sudden jealousy, Robin’s gaze move to Archie’s ring finger, only to let out a breath of relief at seeing it bare.

But why should he feel relief when Regina’s finger is also bare? When he knows she’s not married either, meaning they could be dating? 

Why should he feel relief when Dr. Hopper is casually sock cladded at Regina’s house wearing jeans and a simple t-shirt?

Why should he feel relief when she… oh, she’s probably dating this guy?

Gods.

“We wanted to surprise her!” Roland, bless him, lets out from his place next to him.

“Oh, well come in, come in.”

And why, why is he welcoming them into Regina’s house for no other reason that he’s an important part of her life? Everything points to him being her lover and suddenly there’s an ever stronger pressure on his belly, disappointment coating his throat, making it almost impossible for him to swallow.

“Roland?” Her peculiar voice asks from behind Dr. Hopper and this time Robin looks behind Archie, hating the flutters of his stomach at seeing her so casual, face without makeup, short hair pulled up to a ponytail, wearing her eyeglasses and hoodie.

“Robin?” She asks surprised, and when Robin meets her gaze he sees the surprise written there, but also the awe and happiness.

“Gina, hi,” Roland says, always his savior. “We wanted to give you _this_. Thank you for helping me not feel that sad again,” Roland says as he hands her a piece of paper he had folded on the way here.

Immediately Regina opens the drawing and she smiles, excitedly, tears springing to her eyes.

“Thank you,” she whispers after a second, before hugging the drawing to her chest. “This is perfect, Roland.”

“We also got you flowers and chocolates,” Roland says excitedly.

This time her gaze meets his again, and she looks quite confused at him, questioning him, frowning, but Robin shakes himself out of his reverie and offers the couple in front of him a smile.

“Roland picked them out himself,” he announces as he hands both the flowers and the truffles to them with a smile.

“Oh Roland, they’re beautiful,” she whispers after a second, before she turns to hand them to Archie who immediately, with his big proud smile, turns around and heads inside, calling Jiminy after him. “Thank you, you shouldn’t have. 

“It’s nothing,” Robin says as he shakes his head, then turns to face Roland. “Come on Roland, say bye, it’s time to head home.”

At that Regina frowns, is about to say something to him, but Roland’s wrapping his arms around her middle, hugging her tightly and she hugs him back, smiling.

He smiles in reply, still forced, before he’s waving goodbye and turning around.

He’s felt disappointment before in his life, but it’s still painful, it still cinches his throat and makes him want to sigh and do nothing else but sigh. Roland’s oblivious to it, thankfully, so instead he takes hold of his son’s hands and proceeds to walk down her steps, walks down her garden until he crosses her gate.

But suddenly Regina’s calling out _his_ name, not Roland’s, and when he turns to face her, she’s walking down the steps and smiling curiously at him.

“That was Doctor Hopper,” she says when she’s a feet apart from him, nodding to her house.

“I know,” he nods but doesn’t say anything else.

“He’s been my best friend since college. We have this sort of tradition where we get together every Sunday to review our… patients and exchange ideas and different approaches. He also helps me out, with stuff. ”

And those words are enough to make him smile, to make that disappointment disappear from within and have him chuckling lightly. He doesn’t know why she’s choosing to tell him this, but oh, he’s oh so _so_ grateful, especially when it has her smiling sheepishly, cheeks tinting slightly.

So she knows.

She must know.

“Yeah, so,” she bites her lower lip again, trying to hide the smile, but her face breaks out still, into a smile, before she clears her throat and moves her gaze to Roland. “Thank you for the flowers, chocolate and my beautiful drawing. I love them very much,” she says smiling as she crouches down to land a kiss on his cheek. The little boy giggles and nods, and Regina straightens up, clears her throat before meeting his gaze. “Thank you,” she says to him now, voice slightly trembling before she moves closer to him and proceeds to land a kiss on his cheek the same way she did with Roland.

Except it’s slightly longer, and he’s catching a whiff of her perfume and sighing when she leans back.

“Bye,” she says simply to Roland before mouthing ‘ _See you tomorrow_ ’ at him.

And right.

Yes.

Tomorrow.

Yeah. Tomorrow they’ll go to the shelter to adopt Roland’s pet.

Suddenly excited, Robin slips into his car, making sure Roland’s buckled in before starting the car, smiling at the prospect of seeing Regina tomorrow, even if only for a brief time.

.::.

She’s meeting him there, it’s during her lunch break, after all, and yeah, she may have cleaned out her appointments until two pm, but still. She’s meeting him there and this will be quick.

Just in, just look at the dogs and pick one.

Yet when he sees her, by the entrance, just waiting for him, wearing that pencil skirt and red long sleeved shirt, he feels his heart leaping to his throat, excitement simmering in his veins and prays today doesn’t go as quickly.

He’s crushing on her.

Hard

Feels like a fifteen year old when her gaze meets his and that stunning smile adorns her features. Beautiful. Simply beautiful.

And it doesn’t help the fact that she’s… not seeing Dr. Hopper at all, as more than friends that is.

But he cannot let her see this, see the giddiness in his steps as he walks to her.

So he clears his throat, and nods at her. “Hi. Thank you for doing this,” he lets out.

Regina simply shrugs and smiles in kind. “Stop thanking me,” she comments on a grin to which he simply replies with a small embarrassed chuckle of his own.

“So, shall we?”

“We shall,” she replies, and excited smile on her face as they enter the small building.

It’s empty, but then again it’s just Monday in the afternoon.

“Hello, what can I help you guys with?” A blonde calls out from the counter, a gentle smile on her face. “Are you looking into adopting?”

“Yes, actually,” Robin replies.

“Is it for you guys or somebody else?”

“It’s for his very energetic and loving five year old.”

“Oh that’s wonderful,” another voice calls from behind the counter, way too chirpy and excited for their liking, yet amusing. “When I was five years old our mom got me a beautiful rabbit. I named her Alice, and she was the most amazing creature ever. Are you his mother?” The cheerful redhead asks.

“Anna!” The blonde immediately says, before turning to face them again. “Apologies, my sister tends to be too overbearing at times,” she says embarrassedly.

But both Regina and Robin chuckle at the pair and shake their heads.

“It’s okay,” Regina says, smiling at the blushing redhead. “May we see them?”

“Of course, of course!” Anna replies, smiling brightly and immediately nodding at them to follow her. “Paperwork is Elsa’s job, mine are these beautiful creatures right here,” she says as she points to the rows of cages, each one containing a dog. “Are you looking for a cat, a dog, or something else in particular?”

“Dogs,” they both say in unison, Regina biting her lower lip embarrassedly before she clears her throat. “I believe he’s allergic to cats, isn’t he?” She asks Robin.

But Robin only nods and smirks at her, a curious look on his face. 

This feels oddly natural, oddly right.

Gods, he wishes he could keep this.

Wishes they could keep being friends, and enjoying days at the park, days at a match, movie dates, dinner dates and his stomach does flip flops as domestic every day images morph into late night kisses, laughing under the blankets as they kiss and pant and enjoy adult activities being mindful of the five year old two rooms down.

“Anna?” Elsa’s voice calls from the front, bringing Robin out of his reverie.

“Okay, I’ll let you guys look over. Yell if you need any details. I’ll be back in a few and I hope you truly find one of them to your liking!” The redhead says before she disappears from the room.

“Well, that was odd,” Regina whispers gently before shaking her head and walking to the first cage, not noticing how his eyes are glued to her. “Oh Robin! Look at this cutie,” she says, smiling brightly at the dog on the other side.

Gods, she’s gorgeous.

Insanely gorgeous.

A heart of gold.

Kind and understanding.

And

“Robin?”

“You’re right he’s a cutie,” Robin says, completely ignoring her question as she stares at the black and brown dog. “But, he’s going to grow quite big, so I don’t think he’s a wise choice.”

“Oh please,” she pouts at the sleeping animal but then moves to the next cage. And the next one. And the next one, going on and on over how cute that one is and how friendly that one is until she’s on the fifth one, kneeling in front of the cage, her eyes growing bright again as she looks up at Robin. “A Pit bull, Robin. Pit bull’s are the most loving dogs in the whole world.”

“Regina,” he says chuckling.

“Look,” she ignores him, reading the tag on the cage. “Her name is Leia,” she shakes her head as she sits on the back of her legs, “she was found abandoned on a old shack. Robin,” she says as she turns to face him, pouting. “She’s perfect.”

“Hmmm,” he replies thoughtfully as he crouches next to her and looks at the caramel Pit bull. “She’s quite beautiful.”

“And loyal,” Regina pikes in. “These dogs are the most loyal dogs out there and it doesn’t matter that she’s big already,” she whispers, turning to face the slightly (still fearful) excited Pit bull whose tail won’t stop wiggling and who won’t stop whining. “She likes us,” Regina says absentmindedly, calling her name over, becoming her closer to the gate, sweetly, trying to pet her.

He kneels next to her, sitting on the back of his legs as he beckons Leia closer, and tries to pet her.

“Then I guess we found our dog,” he replies, feeling that same warmth move from his belly to his cheeks as their gaze meet and they just stare at one another, grinning.

But he cannot help himself any longer, cannot help it but lean closer to her. 

It’s probably seeing her all loving and human and real while reading the dog tags, or seeing her excited over one particularly cute Shih-Tzu, he doesn’t know what’s the reason, all he knows is that he’s drawn to her, in a literal sense, sees her doing the same before their eyes close and their lips touch. Slightly, at first. Just a simple press of lips, tentatively, and then he’s breaking the kiss, giving her a sheepish look.

But Regina won’t have any of that, instead she leans further into him and captures his lips with hers, more deeply this time, latching on to his lower lip and he responds eagerly, feeling giddy at the prospect that finally, finally he gets to kiss her, he’s kissing her, and she’s kissing him back with as much passion, as much excitement.

Parting for a breath, they both stay like that, panting as her forehead rests against his.

And suddenly he’s letting out a soft chuckle, shaking his head.

“At a shelter,” he whispers close to her lips, and Regina chuckles in reply before sighing.

“I’ve wanted to do this for the longest of time, but refused to even acknowledge it,” the brunette whispers with her eyes closed, hand softly scratching the side of his head.

“Me too,” he agrees, before he’s delving in for a third and fourth kiss. Chuckling when she melts against him.

“Would it be wrong to ask you out?” He mumbles against her lips.

“What?” She frowns as she breaks the kiss.

“For a date. Or two. That is assuming the first one goes well. If you agree that is.”

Regina stays serious at first, just staring at him with a shocked expression before her lips crack into a smile and she laughs softly.

“I’m not very good at this, am I?” He asks embarrassedly, feeling his cheeks heating as he scratches the back of his head.

“No,” she confirms with a chuckle before she’s smiling at him gently. “I’d like that quite a lot.”

“What?” Robin asks, confusedly.

“A date,” she replies shaking her head.

“Oh. _Oh_. Really?”

“Yes, really,” she replies with a laugh and a roll of her eyes.

At that, Robin lets out a breath of relief and a chuckle. “Okay. Okay, that’s, this, is great,” he says, hands going to her cheeks, caressing her for a moment before delving in, capturing her lips with his again.

“Have you found a dog of your liking—Oh,” Anna lets out from the door, both Robin and Regina breaking their kiss and staring wide eyed at the redhead there, and the much too quiet Elsa.

Embarrassedly, Regina clears her throat and bites back a smile as she nods.

“Or more?” Anna says grinning, letting out a chuckle when Elsa bumps her shoulder to hers and tries to remain straight faced.

Robin clears his throat at that, and straightens up, chuckles lightly as he says. “Leia. We’ll take Leia.”

Later that day, when her face is makeup less and she’s curled up in the couch with a book, her phone pings from the coffee table, a very familiar name on her screen.

“Hello?” She asks with a smile, only to laugh as Roland yells to the phone his ‘ _Thanks’_ and “ _I love Leia_!” and ‘ _Thank you so much Miss Regina I love you!_ ’ and Regina’s replying back in kind, getting as excited as the five (almost six) year old.

“He won’t stop petting her,” Robin’s voice calls out from the other line a minute later and Regina grins, lets the book rest against her chest as she focuses entirely on him 

“I’m sure Leia adores that just as much.”

“Oh definitely. The girl is as relaxed as ever.”

“Good." 

“So,” he says after a second, clearing out his throat. “About that date.”

“Yes?”

“Would it be too forward of me to ask if you have anything to do tomorrow during your lunch hour?”

“Oh?”

“I figured we could go to this little café two blocks away from your office, as sort of a pre-date.”

“You’re asking me on a date to set another date?” The brunette asks amusedly.

“Hmmmm. It does sound weird when you put it like that,” he says, chuckling nervously.

For a moment they stay like that, quietly, contemplating the other, listening to Roland’s entirely too excited voice as he focuses on Leia and doesn’t at all acknowledge the conversation that’s happening between the two adults. Good.

“I only have a short lunch break tomorrow. But on Wednesday I’m free from eleven until two, so if you’re free—”

“Perfect!” He lets out, seemingly too excited and Regina chuckles, can’t help herself but comment on it.

“Excited Locksley?” She asks, grinning.

“Of course I am,” he replies as if it was nothing before continuing. “I’ll pick you up at 11am?”

“Great. I’ll see you then.”

And true to his word, there he is, on a Wednesday morning, smirking when Ella, her receptionist, lets him in with a bright smile on her face.

“Give me just one second,” Regina mutters with a smile from her desk, before she’s turning off her laptop and grabbing her purse as she stands up.

And when she walks over to him, he hands her out a small bouquet of roses.

“If I’m going to take you out on a date to plan a date, I better do it properly,” he says when she smiles in awe at him.

“Thank you,” she whispers, taking them in her hands and casually standing up to her tip toes to give him a soft kiss. “So, shall we?” She asks after a second, smirking when his hand wraps around hers and he turns around to lead her into one of their many dates.

 

* * *

 

“You’re staring,” her voice sounds softly and sleep laden a couple of centimeters in front of him, and he chuckles softly at her, brings his hand from her waist to rest over her cheek, pushing the strand of hair he’d been itching to move and caressing the corner of her mouth with his thumb.

Yet she remains with her eyes closed, lips cracking into a smile.

“It’s impossible not to,” he whispers in return, receiving a sigh in response as he slips his hands into her hair, fingertips massaging her scalp and she smiles before her eyes crack open, little by little, blinking the last vestiges of sleep from them.

“Mmmm, good morning,” she offers, smirking as she moves closer to him, tangling their legs and resting her forehead against his chin. “What time is it?”

“Mmm, a little over eight,” he replies, voice deep and guttural and laden with sleep.

She hums, her hand going to his cheek to caress the scruffy skin there, grinning inwardly at the images from last night, the amazing pinpricks sensation making her inner thighs close over his 

“Oh?” Robin lets out, smirking as he pulls her closer. “Hello.”

She chuckles against his neck, licks her lips as she leans back, gaze meeting his.

Smitten.

More than smitten.

And for a moment she wishes they can stay like this all day long, him caressing her back, giving her that look, as if she’s the utter most gorgeous woman on Earth, a notion she believes when he’s looking at her so. But they can’t stay like this forever. Not when for two weeks they’ve kept this quiet, not wanting to tell the boy anything until they were sure of where it’s heading.

Oh, and it’s heading somewhere, alright, last night along with today is proof enough of that. But still.

“Hmmm, at what time does Roland get home?” She asks gently, grinning at the slight wiggle of his brows.

“Afternoon. So, we have a little bit of time to… just be.”

Letting out a laugh, Regina tips her head upwards, quickly pressing her lips to his. He responds almost immediately, drags his tongue across her lower lip to ask for entrance, and Regina ever willing parts her lips, groaning when his hand on the back of her head holds her in place.

“Well that’s certainly a wonderful way to wake up.”

“Indeed,” he whispers, before pecking her lips again, his hands slipping low low low until they land on her lower back, pulling her body flush to his.

Chuckling against his lips, Regina manages to wrap her arms around his shoulders and pushes her body into his, coaxing him to land on his back, his hands immediately going to her hips with a soft groan. Breaking the kiss, Regina pushes herself up to sit on top of him, the sheets pooling on her hips. Robin merely stays that way, gaze meeting hers as he slips his hands under the covers at the side of her thighs and softly caresses her.

“You are truly gorgeous,” he whispers, not breaking her gaze and Regina feels her cheeks tinting slightly, only to let out a sigh as his hands move up her sides, thumbs caressing and toughing the soft skin under her breasts before he coasts them down to stop at her waist.

“You’re quite handsome yourself,” she replies, only to let out a soft chuckle as he playfully pokes to her sides. “Stop,” she pants on a laugh, “I’m trying to seduce you,” she says with a muffled laugh, chuckling when his hand skim up to her ribs again, all playful and grinning.

“Oh it’s working, alright,” he whispers with a small smile, eyelids heavy in the rather still early morning but awake nonetheless.

And with a grin and an arch of her brow, Regina leans down and kisses him deeply

.::.

She’s giddy and truly happy and most certainly awake as she flips over a perfectly golden brown pancake and Robin kisses her neck, lovingly, drops and drags kisses from neck up up to her pulse point.

“You’re a distraction,” Regina murmurs, when his hand roam over her hips, sliding up up along her sides and bringing his shirt up along with them, exposing the black lace of her underwear.

“So are you while wearing this shirt,” he murmurs, dropping a quick kiss against her cheek, “especially after last night,” drops a kiss to her pulse point and moves to her left shoulder, “and this morning,” he whispers before dropping a soft kiss there, holding back her damp hair, “twice,” he lets out as his hands go back to her hips, settling there. “But you’re right,” he says as he pulls his hands away and takes a step back. “No more distractions,” he finishes, moving to stand on her side, focusing on the omelet he’d been tending to before he’d felt the utter need to touch her.

“Later,” she replies, quickly pecking his lips before she’s plating the last pancake, and turns around to put the pan in the sink.

No distractions, they’d said, but they can barely keep their hands to themselves when they’re eating.

No distractions, they’d said, but they kiss, and kiss, and kiss, and ignore for a moment the rest of their food.

No distractions, they’d said, but she chuckles as she rinses their plate and finds his hands glued again to her hips, caressing, thumbs moving up and down against the hemline of her panties.

No distractions, they’d said, but he’s lifting her onto the counter, moaning against her mouth as her legs wrap around his hips and pull him closer to her. He drags his mouth away from hers, down her chin, down down to her neck, but then she’s pulling at his hair slightly, begging him to kiss her again and for a moment she hears the slight taps of Leia walking away, chuckles against Robin’s lips at the prospect of his Pit bull witnessing this encounter, but continues kissing him, parting for breath, then delving in again.

But then Leia’s barking, and whining, and Regina frowns as they break their kiss and look at Leia from the kitchen, who’s barking at the door, and wiggling her tail.

And then the door’s opening, Roland’s boisterous “Leia!” reverberating through the small living room and Regina’s gasping, Robin’s laughing as he steps back from her and she slides off the counter, eyes as big as saucers, breath catching as Roland looks around and to the kitchen, and sees them, frowning slightly.

“Miss Regina, what are you doing here?” The boy asks in his innocence.

At that moment, Robin’s friend walks in, John, she guesses, looking almost as embarrassed as she feels.

“I… I… I,” she stumbles over her words, not knowing exactly what to answer. She looks over to Robin, but instead of finding him concerned, or ashamed, or shocked with the whole situation, she finds him with a hand covering his mouth, hiding his amusement.

And she guesses it’s a little bit funny.

Just a little bit.

So she bites her lower lip and swallows hard.

“I needed to talk to your dad about something,” she manages to let out after a second, voice breathless, drawing her lips to a thin line at Roland’s inquisitive look.

“But why are you wearing Daddy’s shirt?”

And Robin actually guffaws at that, grimacing at Regina’s murdering look, but she turns to face the kid again, swallows hard before answering. “I… I… I dropped coffee on my shirt. Um, your Papa was kind enough to let me borrow one of his as I wait for the laundry,” she finishes, smiling, more like grimacing at the little boy from a few feet away.

Inwardly, she prays the boy doesn’t asks about pants, or lack of thereof because she’s sure she wouldn’t be able to keep it together. She wouldn’t—

“But where are your pants?”

“Okay, my boy, why don’t you go to your room and unpack? I’ll be with you in a second,” Robin finally, finally, comes to her rescue, and thankfully, _thankfully_ the five year old nods and rushes down the hall and to his room.

“Oh my God,” Regina lets out after a moment, eyes as big as saucers as she looks at Robin.

But then they’re both chuckling lightly and suddenly they can’t stop themselves, laugh as he walks to her and pulls her into a hug.

“You didn’t mention she’d be staying until late,” John whispers from across the room.

“You said you would bring him after twelve,” Robin replies in hushed tones.

“I said I’d bring him before twelve you imbecile! Today’s Erica’s birthday!” John replies.

“Gods,” Robin says as he shakes his head, only to let out a snort at the prospect.

Regina simply bites back her laughter as the grown men bicker slightly over who’s the biggest idiot. It seems they come to a happy medium though because they’re chuckling slightly, and then John’s looking at her, giving her a welcoming smile.

“It’s nice to finally meet you,” John says, nodding his head at her. “Thank you for being able to deal with this one over here.”

She simply laughs at that, feeling surprised at how easy this is, at how nice it feels, instead of uncomfortable.

Even though she’s half dressed.

“Anyways, I’ll let you guys be,” the big man whispers. “We’ll be properly introduced on another time,” he says chuckling to Regina before yelling at Roland’s his goodbye and walking out once Roland yells back his.

They stay like that for a second, just blinking and staring at nothingness before their gaze meet again. “Are you okay?” Robin asks, concern written all over his face.

But she shakes her head at him and smiles in reply. “Guess we can’t hide this any longer now, can we?” She asks, smirking at him.

“Guess not,” he replies, grinning as he pecks her lip playfully.

And later that day, when their stomach are filled to the brim with pizza and warm brownies, they, along a sleeping Leia on Regina’s lap, announce to Roland that while his visits to Regina’s office will end with the coming weeks, she’ll still be a constant presence in their life because his Papa and her like each other a lot.

And the once sad blue little boy, throws his arms around Regina, thanking her for changing his world. But Regina tearfully wipes the tears of the almost six year old, too wise for his age, away, swallowing hard as she tells him that, no, he got it wrong because he changed hers.

 

 |fin|


End file.
